Three-year Limit Set for Foreigners Employed in Israel’s Civil Service

May 19, 1960

JERUSALEM (May. 18)

Foreigners employed here by the Government civil service have been given a three-year reprieve from the regulation that all civil service employees must be Israeli nationals and must swear allegiance to the Government of Israel.

The Government announced that change in civil service rules today, giving the foreign nationals in Government service three years to decide whether they would change their nationality to Israeli–or quit the civil service.

There are several hundred foreign nationals in Israel employed by the Government, most of them in high-ranking civil service jobs where they are rated as experts. Several months ago, when the Civil Service Administration promulgated a regulation requiring all Government employees to be Israeli nationals, there was grave concern that the experts would have to resign.

Under today’s change in the regulations, the foreigners will not be required to swear allegiance to Israel. In order to comply with the Official Secrets Act, they will have to pledge, however, that they will obey that law. They will also have to promise to accept civil service discipline.